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Blotter, April 19, 2014

A 51-year-old Palisade man was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital with multiple injuries after people broke into his home early Friday, assaulted him and threatened his girlfriend.

The incident occurred just before 3:40 a.m. in the 3700 block of G Road, according to the Palisade Police Department.

One of the suspects fled the home on a motorcycle owned by a resident of the burglarized house. The motorcycle apparently was abandoned in the area of 29 1/2 Road and Orchard Avenue. The person who fled on the bike has not been located, the Palisade Police Department said.

‘Spirit’ blamed in tree fire

Walter Rafael Hernandez, 33, who told law enforcement the Holy Spirit told him to start a tree on fire, was arrested on a warrant Wednesday on a second-degree misdemeanor charge of setting woods or prairie on fire, according to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.

Firefighters with the Glade Park Fire Department were called out April 4 to a report of tree on fire in the near the Miracle Rock campground. Fire officials said they knew the fire was started intentionally because there was wood placed around the base of the tree. Firefighters put the call out to law enforcement after seeing an older white Ford F-150 truck with New Mexico license plates leave the scene. The driver of the vehicle, Hernandez, initially told the deputy he hadn’t lit the tree on fire, and later admitted he did, explaining, “I was just doing what the Holy Spirit told me to do,” according to the arrest warrant.

Break-ins reported in Delta

The Delta Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying suspects in a rash of storage unit break-ins at facilities around the city. Personal property and the rental units are damaged in some cases. The burglaries occurred between Saturday and Friday. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Delta Police Department at 874-7676 or Crime Stoppers at 874-8810.

According to the Grand Junction Police Department:

■ Property valued at less than $200 was stolen from a business in the 2800 block of North Avenue on April 8.

■ Desiree Colmenero, 37, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of second-degree burglary and criminal mischief after allegedly entering a home in the 600 block of E. Indian Creek on Saturday.

■ Jennifer Porter, 40, received a summons on suspicion of littering at N. Fifth Street and Grand Avenue on Monday.

■ Patricia De-Mireles-Rivera, 41, received a summons on suspicion of shoplifting at Walmart, 2881 North Ave.

■ A vehicle valued at less than $5,000 was stolen from the 2800 block of Teller Avenue on Monday.